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Maria Anna (Ortega) DeHart

Posted 2009-07-12 by Sharla
THE WICKENBURG SUN THE WEEK OF MARCH 26, 2003

Maria Anna Ortega DeHart

Maria Anna Ortega DeHart passed away on March 22, 2003 in Glendale, Ariz. Born and raised in Wickenburg, Maria was the great-great granddaughter of the colorful stagecoach driver, gold carrier, cattle and horse trader and rancher Ramon Cevero y Valencia and his wife Andrea Galindre de Valencia. Maria's parents Eva Ocampo and Ben Luccero Montano Ortega were active in Wickenburg business for over 50 years. Maria was born and raised in Wickenburg and maintained lifelong ties to the area. She was 61.

Maria managed the Ortega family business in Wickenburg for many years. She was active as a leader in both the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America. She was a longstanding member of the First Families of Arizona, Phoenix Museum of History, Arizona Museum, The Arizona Historical Society, and the Lupus Foundation of America.

Maria devoted many hours over the last 15 years documenting her pioneering family history. The Ortega Family has been part of Arizona history since territorial times. Her Grandfather Teodoro Ocampo first came to the United States around 1865, eventually settling in the Wickenburg area, where he met her grandmother Mariana Rodriguez. Mariana and Teodoro along with great grandfather Ramon Valencia were instrumental in helping to build Wickenburg's first Catholic Church in the late 1800's. Her grandfather was one of the men who physically made the adobe bricks used in the construction of the church.

Her family history is documented in the Arizona Chicano Collection, Chicano Research Collection at the University Archives Arizona State University. The family history in document and photographic form is a permanent part the ASU collection titled the Teodoro and Mariana Rodriguez Ocampo Collection. The collection helps document the presence of Hispanic people in Arizona. The family's photographic history has been showcased at the 1907 Archives Gallery at Arizona State University. In May 2002, the Phoenix Museum of History recognized Maria and her family as one of Arizona's Pioneering families.

A beloved Wife, Mother, Sister, Aunt, Grandmother and Great Grandmother will be dearly missed. With her lovable and caring personality she always made each occasion special with her creative imagination, loving touch and warm hugs.

She is survived by her husband of 42 years Ronald W. DeHart Sr.; daughters Eva DeHart, Irene Rene' Franks, Daphne Zieder and Kimberly DeHart, all of Arizona; two sons-in-law, Steve Zieder and Gary Franks, and her son Ronald W. DeHart Jr. and brother Felix Ortega both of California; seven grandchildren, Aaron and Kyle Zieder, Kristen, Kari and Kameron DeHart, Jacqueline and Travis Miller and one great-grandchild Adrian Miller.

She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins: Alicia and Eugene Quesada, Josefina and Joesph Alvarez, Bernard and Betsy Quesada, William and Louise Alvarez, Felix Ortega, Adelina Ortega, Yvette Ortega Heinze, Philip Ben, Martha, Sarah, Anna, Julie, Mitchell Ben Hershkowitz.

Mrs. DeHart was preceded in death by her parents Eva and Ben Ortega, sister Irene Hershkowitz and brother Daniel Ortega.

Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 29 at the Frey Funeral Home, 980 North Tegner, in Wickenburg, Ariz. In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to the Lupus Foundation of America, 400 W. Camelback Rd, Ste 202, Phoenix, AZ 85013.



See Also: Find a Grave




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